Strap-stretcher.



R. H. NORTON & C. M.`MAcKENZIE.

STRAP SIRETCHER APPLlcAToN msu APR. 13.1911.

R. H. NORTON & C. NI. MAcKENZlE.

STRAP STRETCHER.

` APPLICATION r|LED'APn.1a.19u. 1,242,026.

Patented Oct. 2, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Zac RALPH E. NORTON AND CHESTEBM. MACKENZIE, OFCHICAGO, llIlIiIILIlSlOIlIS, ASSIGNOBS T ACME STEEL GOODS COMPANY, 0FCHICAGO, ILLINOIS," CORPORATION 0F ILT INOIS.

STRAP-STRETCHEE@ application fue@ April 1a, 1917; serial. no. 161 geen.

' To all whom t may concern: i

Aas used in stretching steel bands or straps y around packing boxes andthe like. The ob- Iject is to provide a tool which'can be used withsureness and despatch,-one 1n whlch lthev strap ends to be united may bereadily receivedand one which is capable of gr1p.-' ping t e strap, and'powerfullyl stretchmg and tig tening the same withoutfany slippage, andholdingl the overlapped` ends securely while they are being united orsealed. The present invention also provides for quickly releasing thetool by a vsimple maneuver and restoring it to condition for operatingupon another strap., Other.' desirable objects vattained by the presentinvention are economy in production due to simple and manufacturable.character of the component parts and ease with which they can beassembled; and lightness of construction without sacrifice of strengthor durability. In the drawings which accompany and form parto-f thisspeeiication Figure l shows a complete tool in top plan view, with endportions of e strap ready to be stretched;

Fig. 2 shows the tool in side elevation and the strap end portions inedge view, all in the same state of preparedness depicted in Fig. l, andwith one portionof the tool in section; Fig. 3 is a vertical section ont e line 3 3 of Fig. l; Fig. t is a similare tional view but illustratesthe opposite condition or the release condition after the strap has beenstretched and sealed, and the end portions of the strap are thereforeshown with x7the seal applied; Fig. 5 isla cross section on theline 55lof Fig. 1;Figs.. 6 yand 7 arezsimilar sectional views on an enlargedscale illustrating the action of one `of the gripping' devices; and Fig.8 isga bottom view of one of'these devices.

The reference numeral v2 designates the base of the tool which is anL-shaped piece of 'metal formed .or provided with a rack 2a runninglengthwise along the middle portion Ilow or-bored lengthwise to receivea ger rod 6, and there is pivoted-in .the bifur- 'of the top of itslonger leg. l This leg of the L-shaped base is T-shaped in crosssection,

as clearly shown in Figg for the' purposeofconstituting the mostdesirable character of slideway vfor a metal slide/.block 3. The

latter is ohanneled'to fit the 'said slideway and also to bridge therack, asalso clearly v shown in Fig. 5. The central upper portionPatented oei. e, 1917..

of this slide block is open to accommodate a Agear wheel 4. 1n mesh withthe rack, said gear Wheel being trunnioned inears formed upon the slideblock. About the axis la of this gear wheel is pivoted an operatingle-lver l5 which is bifurcated to straddle the gear wheel., and whose stemis united with a handle 5a. .The handle and stem are holcated part ofthe lever an operatingpawl 7.

to the outer arm ofwhich said plunger rod is pivotally connected. Theinner arm of the pawl. terminates in a tooth of appro- .priate form toengage the teeth-e-"thegear wheel 4. 'In -an enlargement of the hereofthe handle 5a a spring 8 surrounds thep'lunger rod bearing atthe innerend against a' washer 9, which rests upon av shoulder of the handle atvthe inner er l of the enlarged.

portion of the bore, and at its outer end said spring bears against ashoulder formed by an enlargement ofthe plunger rod. The latterterminates in a thumb knob 6.

. The gripping devices which will presentlybe described, are mountedrespectively upon the short leg of the L-shaped base and upon anextension or arm 3*L of the slide block. It will be obvious thatthrowingthe' lever over to the left from the position shown in Figs. 2and 3 With'the pawl 7 lin engagement with the gear wheel will result inturning the latter with the lever and causingitto travel` to the leftalong the rack carrying the slide block with it. vThus thegrippin'gldevice on the slide block is moved toward the gripping deviceon the base. It sometimes will take several strokesof the lever to do'the work, andfurthermore theoperator Vwill be required .-to let 'go thelever and apply himself'to the job of sealingthe strap ends or nailingthe strap to the box while it is' held stretched by the tool,landconsequently a holding pawl is required tol pre-v ventbackward-movement of the'slide block.

The holding pawlzas here show n and designated l0, is pivoted upon thelaxis of the gear wheel 4 vbetween the latter and an odset portion ofone tine of the bifurcated end of the operating lever, said p awlextending out over the rear end of the slide block 3 and 'having itstooth 10V odset' so as to engage the rack 2, The pawl maintains itsengagement' therewith by gravity', and it will b e obvious that as theslide is worked along the rack the tooth 'of the pawl will ride over theteeth of the rack and be ready at all times to preypressure upon thethumb knob- 6B, and the accomplished by 'throwing disengagement bf theholdi-pawl may be n, i lever to an extreme 'position,- as illustrated in4. 'Thus the operator' while grasping the andle of the lever may lpresswith his thumb pavvl from the gear Wheel andmay at' `the .the basebeyond the rack `a holding knob 11 g@ whose -stemstands at an outwardangle.v

upon said knob and disengage the operating same time throw the lever toextreme position and `thereby lift the -holg pawl out of lthe rack.Forthe urpose of edecting the latter result the vbe ore-mentioned odset'tineof'the bifurcatedend of theV lever is formed with a radial lug 5 toact-'upon a lateral 'lug l0b formed upon the holding pawl. l y

There isxedly mounted upon the end of lhislmob may. lie-.convenientlysecured to the base vby a long machine screw, as own by dotted lines; inFig. 2. The knob facili; tates the handlin'gof the-toch and particurlarly aords a convenient means by which the operator can holdl the tooldown on the; box and obtain the needed purchase when' l working thelever in the application of power 'to 'stretch the strap.

gisioruie leg of the vl.. shaped base an inclined boss 25j now to thegripping devices, there Passin d upon, the upper sida ot the short anda'similar boss '3b is 'formed upon the uppersideof the arm te of theslide ch v wasbeiore mentioned... "llhese bosses over#l hang the ends iof their'- respective members iand the latter carryinsets of hard metal12 f and 13 respectively, 'which 'have v rejecting portions12 andg'lunderlying t chen and constituting 'strap rests.

lnasmuch as each set of gri fhas the sameconstruction a detailed de-vscriptionofone will sudieetorboth. "The" inclined boss isscrevvfthreaded for a diey tance from the top and' then has a oath e t'sl illustra that bore of the larger diameter and is formed .ma

" with an enlarged head 14a. A coiled spring 15 surrounds the `plugunder that head and.

' bears against the annular shoulder', and this sprlng normallyA holdsthe plug up so that the strap a may be readily slipped in between theplug and the rest-piece 12a. A knob 16 is provided with a screw-threadedstem 16 engaging the lscrew-threaded -portion of the ore of the boss andis rounded on its inner end .to engage the flat top of the head oftheplug. Y Y, f f lhe innerer bottom end of the plugis of generalconical form and made with a series of annular teeth 14: which, indiametrical section of 'the' plug, will be seen to be of ratchet-likecharactenas shown most clearly in Figs. 6 and 7,. the th pointing towardthe apex of the cone.

The plug is free to, turn'in its bore where. a@ by the wear upon itsgrip/ping teeth will be distributed around the circley of those teeth..`Another eilect will -new be pointed out, which is due toa loose mountingof the plug` in the vbore that permits a vvalightrocking. `ltwill beobservedv that .in Fig. 6- the plug is lshown Arocked or canting onewayand in Fig. 7 the other. lli. 6 illustrates the eect of screwing downt mob 16. 'Owing to the "fact that thisknob is inclined and the il .plugis also. inclined,- making an acute angle with ythe vinfcomingstrapvend. the flore' K down of the-plug upon 'the top surface a the strapwill cause it 'to rock or cant', the teeth either slippingulon'the strapslightl or else immediately ta "hold and slightlYy liti' aca `shiftingthe strap. The condition is illustrated in Fig. 6 andl thepoint to beob-v vserved4` is vthat this 'edect prepares for the securing of abull-dag grip uponthe s f if. ha@

'lhus when the operatin lever is wored ,to advance the slide bloc withvbothippin I"knobs screwed down, the result-o t e strain thereby putnponthe strap. throuh the medium lci? .the pping devices will 'n 315i tocause ieach'grip-Elug to-.feant' the other way and tighten its lold u onthe strap, the v teeth, owing to their'ratc et-lilre character di gin'into 4the-metal of the strap. This seen thereioreethat' the strap'y endswill be held with the".utmost tenacity, and se the. operator, arworg thelever-.to stretch t e `stra and get the 'strap ends overlapped,

125 job ot nailingthe 'strap to the .box-'d' ing' the. seali-v theoverlappin e 2;. en of this hasn'aceomplised i" f gripdmche willofcourse he turned hach,

aaneen ttt-apanage itwtn ha ai@ ip. ist

tying. an n win be ne plugs away from the strap and the tool can then bereadily taken away for use upon the next strap.

It should be noted that the metal insets 12 and 13 have vertical facesagainst which the strap-ends will be pushed when inserting them sidewiseinto the grips, 'and thus they serve to properly aline the strap ends.In the saine connection it should be noted that any width of strap, suchas used in this kind of work, may be accommodated, and that n oadjustment of grips to different widths 1s necessary, andfurther that noreadjustment is required for diferent thicknesses or gages of stock, i.e., no resetting or rearrangement.

Furthermore each 'grip takes hold at one place so there is noVdisfiguring or mutilation of the strap by engagement at numerous pointsor by doubling up or b multiplying the gripping action. Overlap ing ofstrap ends is not required .in conne Iion with the gripping action, andall that is necessary by way of any overlapping is that there besuliicient overla for sealing purposes'when. a seal is used.'

ence the tool of the present invention makes for economy amount of strapused.

We claim:

l. A vstrap-stretching tool comprising a base having a rack, a slide,grips on the base and slide, a gear on the slide, a driving pawlengaging the gear, a holding pawl carried by the slide and engaging therack, and an operating lever on the ,slide and carrying the drivingpaw'l and also carrying connections for disengaging said pawl from thegear, said connections operable from the handle-end of the lever, andsaid lever itself adapted by excess movement to disengage the holdingdog from the rack. Y

2. A strap-stretching" tool comprisingl a base having a rack, a slide,grips on the base and slide, an operating lever, a driving pawlpivotally mounted thereon and engaging the gear, a plunger rod connectedto said pawl and extending to the handle-end of the lever,

. and a holding pawl carried by the slide and engaging the rack anddisengageable there- `from by the operating lever.

3. A strap-stretching tool comprising a base having a rack,'a slide,grips on the base and slide,` a gear on the slide, means for operatingthe gear, and a holding pawl con- .centric with the gear and engagingthe rack,

and displaceable by said means.

4. Ajstrap-stretcliing tool comprisinga base having a rack, a slide,grips on the base and slide; a gear on the slide, an operating lever,concentric with ,the gear, and a holding-.pawl `concentric with -thegear and engaging the rackand engageable by the lever for disengagementfrom .the rack.

- 5. A ,strap-stretching tool comprisingalbase having a rack, a slide,grips on the base and slide, a gear on the slide, an operating leverconcentric with the gear, a driving pawl on said lever and engaging thegear,

and a holding pawl concentric with the gear and engaging the rack; thelever and said holding pawl having coacting lugs, substantially as andfor the purppse described.

6. A strap-stretching'tool comprising an y L-shaped base, a slide blockon the longer lleg thereof and having a lateral arm confronting theshorter leg, said arm and leg carry- 'ing strap-rests, gripping deviceson said arm -and leg and overhanging said rests `with open spacesbetween for lateral ingress and egressof strap, and means located to oneside of\ said devices for driving the slide block. v

7. A strap-stretching tool comprising an.`

lL-shaped base having a rack on the upper side of its longer leg, aslide-block fitted to said leg and having a lateral arm confronting theshorter leg of the base, said arm and leg carrying alined strap rests,gripping devices lon said-'arm and leg and overhanging said rests wit-hopen spaces between for lateral ingress and egress of strap, and meansaplplied .to -said rack for driving the slide-bloc `-8.,Astrap-stretching tool comprising an` L-shaped base having a rack on theupper side of its longer leg, -a slide-block fitted to 'said leg andbridging the rack and having a lateral arm confrontin the shorter leg ofthe base, said arm and ieg carrying alincd strapi'ests,igripping deviceson said arm and leg and overhanging said rests with o en spaces betweenfor lateral ingress andegressof strap, and means applied to said andhaving a ratcheted acting end, and

vmeans operating upon the grip-plug to forse it angularlyinto engagementwith the strap canting it 4aspermitted by the loose mounting in thebore, said grip-plug adapted to rock back under strap straii andlthereby tighten its hold on the strap.

11. .In a strap-stretching tool, a grip comprising a rest, anoverhanging boss with fan oblique bore, a grip-plug loose in the boreand having a conical end with a series of encircling teeth, and meansoperating'upon the grip-plug to force it angularly into engagement withthe strap.

12. In a strap-stretching tool, a grip compris'ing a rest, anover-hanging boss with an oblique bore, a grip-plug loose in the boreand. havingaratcheted acting end, and a scew in the b oss operazing upon@me gripplug force 1t anguay im@ engagement with ih@ swap.

13. L@ a strap-summing mal? am grip comprisng a, Test, an Qvaerhangingboss with am oblique bom of varying dmmee and Sarawhwaded fox a smnc-,imm @me find, :L grip-plug accupying a, smalfe damezr p0rfinn bore ai;the michel land '1pmin a, @animi lasched meting; pmiom smid plugEcos/ely zng ich@ bom, a spring @Ik gauging unda' me head1 fthe pug toretract im amd 2, knob with a scmw stm engaging @ha bmeadhad Jpron ofthebum and having a. @mi 'maat upa@ the gx'ppugg.,

M, p ping for samp-strafhers 1mm/'4 ai d with @Hmmm

